5 comments about Teach Yourself VISUALLY (TM) Photoshop(R) 7.

1. This book was exactly what I was looking for. It's easier than taking a class in PhotoShop. The visual layout makes it so easy to learn the software. It walks you through every step and shows the screen so you know exactly what to look for. Even the most computer illiterate person, like myself, can easily master PhotoShop with the help of this book. I see that some of the other reviews say that it is elementary, but that's exactly what I like about it. It isn't a bunch of hi-tech guru speak that confuses the basic understanding. And if you have it open right next to your computer as you walk through all the processes, it is so simple to learn the program. Maybe it's not in depth enough for the experts, but its perfect for me. Highly recommend!!!!!



2. If you have ever bought software only to be befuddled by the tombs demonstrate it, this is the series for you.

   The book promises that you will read less and learn more. For the visual learner, the full colored screen shots and succinct explanations break 140 Photoshop 7 topics into two-page lessons.

   Simple; direct; helpful: What more would you want from an introductory software text?




3. This book didn't teach me anything that I didn't know already. I learnt a lot more by playing around with the software. It doesn't even teach you how to do impressive special effects, like montages or TV lines.

   If you have already played around with Photoshop, then you don't need this book! There are better tutorials out there on the internet and they are free!

   Save your money!!!




4. For the bewildered beginner, this book is ideal. There are NO longwinded chapters filled with theory that you have to digest. On the contrary, the entire book is written 'Betty Crocker' style, with a topic no longer than two pages long. Most of the page consists of pictures demonstrating the steps. The actual steps are listed at the bottom of the page. One can quickly learn how to work effectively without feeling like they're enrolled in an academic course.



5. Book Bytes has admired maranGraphics' approach to visual learning for many years. What works best here are specific screen shots in vibrant colors giving clear, concise, detailed instructions for beginning users of Photoshop 7.

   This cross-platform book provides specific directions for OS 9, OS X, and Windows whenever necessary. Bravo! It's a multi-OS world out there, publishers and authors. Two-page lesson spreads make valuable use of the highly successful "Teach Yourself Visually" format. Helpful Q&A style tips enhance each lesson.

   Turning to pages 82-83, we learn how to "skew or distort a selection" in Photoshop, complete with numbered, bulleted steps. It would take hundreds of words to instruct without comparable impact of the four-panel illustration. Just one example among many from Wooldridge and maranGraphics.

   Any gripes? Yes:

   * Often items within a screen being targeted visually are too tiny to see clearly if you're not following along while running Photoshop on your computer.

   * I'm being picky, but I get tired of seeing the same JPG examples used over and over again: bagels, palm trees, and light bulbs, for example. I understand they are repeated for continuity, but a little more variety would add spice to the imagery. (I do like that lime-green bagel multiple-effects layer project on pages 192-193, though.)

   * Teach Yourself Visually Adobe Photoshop 7 is a teaser, making me want to try everything in P7, but then I'll need to dig deeper within a more extensive book. Some beginners will outgrow the book before they finish using its tutorials.

   This book is most suited for readers who learn best from a visual presentation, then work on their own to develop more skills. Teach Yourself Visually Adobe Photoshop 7 makes just about everything in the software seem approachable.

   WOULD I BUY IT? Yes, to help students who fit the above profile.

   WOULD I USE IT IF IT WAS THE ONLY PHOTOSHOP BOOK AVAILABLE: Yes, and then set it aside in favor of PhotoShop's built-in Help application for additional instruction.

   DO I RECOMMEND IT? Yes, as mentioned above...

No comments about Hamptons Pleasures.

3 comments about Among Trees Boxed Notecards.

1. I was really excited about this card set; I'd just used up the last of the notecards I purchased during a trip to the Redwoods in CA, and I was looking for another set of notecards featuring trees/forests. When I got these cards, however, I discovered that the only decent picture is the one on the front of the box! I almost kept it, because they weren't very expensive and the return shipping is deducted from your return, and also to use the four cards with the good picture, but in the end I returned them out of principle--I felt duped because Amazon only showed the one picture, and the other three turned out to be just plain not nice to look at!



2. These note cards are very nice. Top quality cards that tell the recipient that you've got style. This is the second box I have ordered.The handy box looks nice as well. It allows you to leave on your desk and jot a note anytime.



3. I was searching for note cards for my husband to use, because mine are all too flowery for a guy to feel comfortable using! These fit the bill perfectly! The trees are majestic - awe-inspiring. The photography is beautiful. Stately strong trees, contrasted and surrounded by floating mists, evocative of smells of musk and that great good feeling you get in nature of being close to our Creator. The quality of the cards is excellent; a nice heavy card stock with a smooth finish. I will buy these again - and use them myself!

1 comments about A Handbook of Biological Illustration (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing).

1. With the internet, lots of people are beginning to design web pages... with no sense of art or style at all. Likewise for some people who use computers for illustrations. This handbook is indeed where everyone should begin if they're going to illustrate. It doesn't say much about computers, but it does show how to make professional illustrations using pre-computer tools -- which still set the standards. It's a most enjoyable book.

3 comments about Portland Then and Now (Then & Now).

1. This book provides some great pictures of historic Portland and compares them with current Portland images. While it's not the most expansive piece regarding Portland landmarks, it captures important aspects of Portland's history.



2. What an interesting idea it was to take current pictures from the same angle as old photos of Portland. The book is well done and anyone who has lived in Portland and enjoys history will love this book



3. This book is excellent! It has a lot of great pictures of our city and the "now" photos tried to keep the same angles and perspectives. I love this book!

4 comments about Moose Peterson's Guide to Wildlife Photography: Conventional and Digital Techniques (A Lark Photography Book).

1. I am new to digital photography and just bought a top of the line camera for wildlife/landscape photography. This book has gotten mixed reviews, so here's my offering as a "newbie" to the hobby. I haven't read any of Peterson's earlier stuff, so it is all new to me. From the first few chapters I have read, I like his writing style - very relaxed and pretty much a good mixture of technical/practical information. Yes, a good editor would help, but the content captures my attention more than the mispellings, etc. I purchased this book along with Tim Fitzharris' "Landscape Photography" (a five-star book, for sure) and feel I have made some good selections. Now I'm headed to the couch with a cold beer, some beef jerky and these books. Don't call me until next week.



2. Moose Peterson recycles information he's written for magazine articles into this book about wildlife photography. Some of the pictures in his book are good, others are just ordinary.
   
   The worst thing about this book is the poor grammar and spelling. Doesn't this guy have an editor?
   
   I was really hoping for more from someone who is supposed to be a world famous wildlife photographer.
   
   There is some information on digital here so I gave it two stars.



3. Moose Peterson does a great job of addressing birds and mammals, the exclusive foci of this wildlife book. No other non-mammals, such as insects, butterflies, moths, reptiles, etc., are included.
   The first part of the book details gear necessary and/or desirable for doing wildlife photography. Peterson discusses camera bodies, a wide variety of lenses, and other accessories, such as flash, tripods, and filters.
   Peterson also addresses the hot topic du jour: film vs. digital imagery. He describes the advantages and disadvantages of each, and provides tips and recommendations for both conventional film camera users and digital camera users.
   A heavy emphasis on exposure comprises the second part of the book. In a nontechnical way, Peterson writes about making the subject "pop"--how to give the subject life, so that it is not flat or dull. He provides many tips and ideas for accomplishing this.
   Third is a section on getting close physically to the subject. Peterson advocates for the value of knowing the biology--the culture and habitat and behavior--of the animals to be photographed. In addition, he addresses the ethics involved in approaching wildlife and the treatment of living photographic subjects. He promotes taking no action that threatens the welfare of the subjects in any way, even if that means you do not capture the image. I appreciate his value for the life of wildlife.
   The final two chapters in the books consist of stories about Peterson photographing birds and mammals. As I read through his tales, I could imagine him telling these during a slide presentation. It is common to hear them during a slide show, but rare to read such chatty stories in a book. The inclusion of this feature of the book makes the book somewhat unique.
   Peterson uses many good and sharp photographs to illustrate the book. With very few exceptions, the captions only include the animal's name and the camera, lens, and film used. I would have appreciated meatier captions to tie information from the text to the images.
   This book is not really a how-to book. Peterson writes in a readable way about approaches and techniques, but stops short of telling the reader how to do things. There is, however, extensive use of "field tips" in the margins that provide pointers for the reader's use.
   For me, this book is not one that I would use much for reference. It made for enjoyable, not-too-technical reading one time through, however. His writing style is palatable to a non-techie such as I am.
   I was disconcerted to read what I believe are two geographical mistakes. In the first sentence of the introduction to the book, Peterson describes climbing a mountainside in "the Yukon Territory of Alaska." I was left wondering whether he was climbing in Canada (Yukon Territory) or in the United States (Alaska). Near the end of the book, he reports photographing northern fur seals on St. Paul Island "which lies off the coast of Nova Scotia." Did he really photograph northern fur seals in the Atlantic Ocean off Nova Scotia, or did he photograph them on the St. Paul Island of the Pribilof Islands in the Bering Sea of the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Alaska? I suspect it's the latter and not the former.



4. This book is aimed at the photographer who understands the processes of taking photographs and now wants to apply these processes to taking wildlife photographs. Peterson, a famous wildlife photographer, expresses his opinions on what it takes to get good and great wildlife pictures.
   
   The first third of the book is dedicated to explaining what equipment is necessary for taking wildlife pictures. It is clear that the author considers a camera capable of accepting a wide variety of lenses, and some really long (and expensive) lenses, essential for this purpose.
   
   The next chapter of the book is devoted to techniques he considers necessary to make a picture "pop", i.e., attract a viewer's attention. He discusses lighting, color, exposure and backgrounds. The third section of the book talks about getting close to wildlife subjects and the fourth chapter looks at ten pictures of birds and describes the circumstances surrounding their taking, and the fifth chapter does the same with pictures of mammals.
   
   I imagine that reading this book would be much like sitting around with Moose in a bull session and talking about wildlife photography, with all the advantages and disadvantages that might include. For a written work this book needed a good editor, not only to correct grammatical errors and typos, but also to correct all the repetitions, contradictory advice and non-sequiturs. Also, notwithstanding statements to the contrary, Peterson is clearly biased in favor of digital photography with Nikon cameras. For example, the title suggests that the book is applicable to both digital and film, but Moose spends 8 pages laying out why he believes digital photography is better than film, He also spends a page describing why he prefers a particular Nikon lens over others, even though the features on which he bases his preference are only available from Nikon. On the other hand, in discussing the advantages of digital he makes no mention of the use of the histogram, a feature that several other wildlife photographers consider to be the most important benefit of digital cameras.
   
   At the same time some of the material isn't presented by any other author in this detail. The twenty-nine pages devoted to getting close to the quarry are singular. While the chapters on the author's pictures may contain a lot of details that will be of little use to most folks, they do convey the importance of planning and patience in wildlife photography.
   
   If you are looking for a book that will teach you fundamentals, like the nature of exposure, look at something else, like John Shaw's "Nature Photography Field Guide" or Art Morris' "the Art of Bird Photography". But if you are an experienced photographer, looking to glean a few tips about wildlife photography that you may not have heard before, and willing to put up with a rough and ready but expert photographer, you will probably enjoy this book.

1 comments about Elephants: A Book for Children.

1. I bought this book for my elephant-obsessed son. It is a stunningly beautiful book. Steve Bloom is a wildlife and nature photographer and the quality of the photographs is outstanding. Both African and Indian elephants are featured throughout, photographed in the wild, at work, at play and even swimming in deep water - who knew elephants can swim?
   
   The text manages to be both highly informative and perfectly pitched to a younger audience. Facts are put in terms that children can relate to. In reading this book I learned so many interesting things about elephants (not something I would previously have thought likely). Some examples: Elephants are either left or right tusked just as humans are left or right handed. Elephants can swim underwater using their trunks as snorkels. Elephants educate their boys and girls separately. Elephants remember, even years later, the exact spot where one of their herd died. An easy way to tell Indian and African elephants apart is by the shape of their ears, which resemble the continents which give them their names.
   
   The text and photographs also complement each other extremely well. A lot of thought has been put into this book. It is an absolute joy to read.
   
   This truly beautiful book would make a wonderful gift for any child who enjoys animals.

5 comments about The Here and Now: The Photography of Sam Jones.

1. the Clooney album, too many shots of Clooney makes it too boring and creepy. Obviously Jones has a 'jones' for Clooney.



2. The photos are absolutely brilliant... I only wish there was more text explaining Jones's take on each shot -- how he came up with the setting, what his inspiration was, what happened during the shoot, etc. He does a little of this in the intro of the book where he remembers moments with Jessica Beil, Clooney, etc, but it would be so much better if each photo had something like that.



3. The images in this book are spectacular & beautiful. If you are a fan of George Clooney you're in luck as he has the most photos spread, some serious some funny.



4. fantastic book! a must have for anyone who appreciates stunning photography by a clever and talented photographer. whether jones is drawing out a subject's demure side or silly side, he lets you feel as if you are, at once, let in on the secret and the surprise of the moment. no coffee table collection is complete without this photographer's monograph.



5. I loved it.....
   buy it now....IT WILL IMPROVE YOUR SEX LIFE!
   seriously. there is nothing like some bare naked ladies...

5 comments about Unforgettable: Images That Have Changed Our Lives.

1. People actually paid $5.95 for a copy of...NOTHING? I'd like to commend the author for, well, picking a font and bottom-center justifying a small handful of words....244 times. Hats off to you, sir.
   
   I'm writing a book now. It's a book about paper, only I'm not going to use paper. At least my book won't be a giant waste.
   
   I tried to give this 0 stars, but Amazon won't allow that.
   
   Don't buy this. Fold 122 pages of blank printer paper in half. At least you'll get some exercise. Just remember to unfold that paper and use it afterwards.



2. A stunning piece of invention. Davenport presents us with captions and no pictures, and yet it works as well as if the pictures appeared. So deeply are the images imprinted in our visual memories, the can be imagined instantly. The design is extremely user-friendly for such a radical concept; words as pictures.



3. Davenport used an incredible angle with this book. When I was first browsing an art store at The Ohio State University I picked up this book expecting to see pictures of various objects or events in modern society that played an important role. To my dismay, at first, there were no images whatsoever. However, once I looked at the first 15 pages (of text) that contained events, people, objects, etc... My mind ran wild with the images that were supposed to be triggered. This book is a beautiful piece to add to any respectable book collection. I give it my highest recommendation!!



4. This has been a hit wherever I have shown this book. High up on both my holiday and special occasion gift-giving. It makes you realize that you don't have to see an image that is thoroughly imprinted on your brain. You just need a brain. I loved it.



5. Images that have changed our lives, with no images! Just captions - 1 per page. It looks like the "author" (using that term as loosely as possible) didn't want to pay royalties to include the actual images. This is so insulting it's offensive.

3 comments about La Danse.

1. La Danse
   The reproduction of his fantastic photos is even better than I had hoped for and the CDs are a great bonus!



2. A beautiful book with the impressionistic photography of David Hamilton. The main dance of the book is ballet, a rather nawor focus these days. Featured are mostly young, female dancers, but there are also shots of Nureyev and a few other male dancers. Finally, it differs from other David Hamilton books by featuring mostly fully-clothed dancers.



3. Do you enjoy ballet photography? Are you a fan of David Hamilton? Do you enjoy classical music? Are you a fan of Rudolf Nureyev? If you are a fan of one or all of them, you'll want to own this fine collectible publication. I recently purchased a copy and find it to be of top quality in terms of professionalism in photography.
   The original La Danse, which, I believe was published in 1974? Contained many of the same photographs which grace the pages of this up-to-date version. There's the splendid full page photographs of charming young girls in ballet, and the rare photographs of Rudolf Nureyev.
   But in the updated version, there is more, much much more. The book contains 4 Classical Ballet music cds, plus photographs from two other David Hamilton classics, Laura and Bilitis. So in many ways, this up-to-date version is much better than the original version.
   If you want to own a book of David Hamilton's at a more affordable price, La Danse will be it.